Liquid crystal displays are often illuminated by a backlight. When developing an LCD or keypad lighting system, many challenges are encountered that limit the ability to provide a uniformly lit light source to the display or keypad. For example, constraints on the x, y, and z size of the backlight system require tradeoffs or compromises in achieving proper and sufficient optical performance. Especially in those cases where there is little space in the x or y directions (the planar extensions of the light guide), the light guide providing light to the display from a light source (e.g., light emitting diodes—LED's) or a light source directly illuminating a display may illuminate areas of the display (or keypad) more strongly than other areas. The more strongly lit areas are often referred to as “hot spots” or “bright spots.” Currently, the options to compensate for hot spots in LED illuminated LCDs and keypads are 1) moving the LEDs farther away from the light guide; 2) increasing the number of LEDs; or 3) creating a complex and difficult to tool optical dispersion patterns on the light guide plastic surface. The current methods have shortcomings. If x, y space is critical, then option (1) is not possible. Option (2) may be cost prohibitive. Option (3) in which creating a complex pattern is formed on the light guide, using current techniques, may increase the price of the light guide, extend the development time, and require difficult and/or expensive tooling for manufacture. Thus, there is a need to provide an effective and cost effective method for eliminating hot spots from an illuminated light guide in a space constrained arrangement.